The New Zealand Meat Pie

New Zealanders love pies! The meat pie is well-known in New Zealand as part of the country's signature cuisine.

Every year, the Bakers New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards are held in New Zealand when the country's greatest bakers vie for the title of best pie.

Pies are a great way to warm up your stomach on any occasion. They are commonly eaten at any time of day and are frequently used as a snack or filler in between meals.

Ingredients:

• 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil; 500 gm minced beef; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped; 7 gm sea salt flakes; 20 gm cornflour; 2 kg butter puff pastry (see note);1 egg, lightly beaten; 120 gm coarsely grated cheddar

• Rich beef stock: 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil; 300 gm beef scraps (see note), cut into cubes; 100 gm piece of belly bacon, cut into 3cm cubes; 1 onion, unpeeled, thinly sliced; 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled, halved; 6 thyme sprigs; 3 fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 65 ml brandy; 65 ml Worcestershire sauce; 1.5 liters butcher-quality chicken stock

Instructions:

• For rich beef stock, heat a stockpot over high heat, add oil, then add beef and bacon, and brown well on all sides, scraping often to keep from catching on the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pan with brandy and Worcestershire sauce, scraping the base of the pan, and reduce until liquid is almost evaporated. Add remaining stock and simmer over low heat until well flavored.

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat, add minced beef, and stir occasionally until cooked through, then drain in a sieve, reserving 1½ tbsp of fat. Return reserved fat to the pan, add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, then add beef, rich beef stock, and salt and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, stir cornflour and 25ml cold water in a small bowl until smooth, add to beef mixture and stir continuously until sauce thickens, remove from heat and cool completely

• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 4mm thick. Cut out twelve 8.5cm rounds and twelve 13cm rounds from pastry. Top with remaining pastry rounds, press edges together to seal, and crimp with a fork.